Peg top



Dec. 2, 1952 D. L. GALLAHER PEG TOP Filed May 18, 1948 Zhwentor DONALD GALLAI-IER (Ittorneg Patented Dec. 2, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PEG 'ror Donald L. Gallaher, Seattle, Wash. Application May 1a, 1948, Serial No. 27,649

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a peg top adapted for spinning by means of a cord wound thereon, and more particularly to such a top which is' composed of a plurality of parts each of which is in itself a top, and all of which nest together to form a composite top so that a cast of the composite to effects a spinning and separation of the individual tops.

There have been composite tops in the prior art, but they have not been of a construction and shape to nest securely, yet readily separ te, and to have the appearance of the usual wooden top when the component parts are nested together. Further, the prior art tops of this class have not been constructed to have good spinning qualities.

Having in mind these defects of the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to construct a composite top that has a pleasing appearance. I

A further object of the present invention is the construction of a composite top that is composed of a plurality ofparts, each of which is a top and all of whichnest together to form the composite top.

Another object of the present invention is to construct each of such nesting tops so that it has good spinning characteristics.

A still further object of the present invention is the construction of a composite top in which the component parts are securely nested together and, yet, will readily separate when the topis thrown.

The above objects are achieved and the defects of the prior art remedied by forming a series of tops out of a suitable plastic material, of shaping each of the series as a thin-walled cone with a heavy ring integral with the base of the cone,- nesting the cones inside of each other, of forming the top cone with a closure for the base opening, of providing the apex of each cone with-a metallic insert to form the point upon which the individual top spins, and of forming the rings of each cone so that they stack one on top of the other so that the cones when assembled together form a composite top having the shape of a conventional wooden top.

A device embodying the above features and which achieves the objects set forth, is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the composite top.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the axis of the composite top.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the composite 2 top with the individual parts separated and extended.

For the purpose of simplifying terminology and saving confusion in the description of the present device, the word top is used to refer to the complete article, the composite top; and the word topet is used to refer to one of the parts of the complete article, each of which is in itself a top. So, in the drawings, there is shown a top l0 and the individual topets which nest together to form the top. In the present disclosure there has been shown the top as made up of only three topets nesting together. These topets are the outer I I, the inner 2|, and the cap topet A l. Each topet has the general outline of a cone and each has a metal peg inserted in the apex of the cone. It is upon these metal pegs that the topets spin. Referring particularly to the outer topet, the metal peg I2 has a point that is enlarged so that when inserted in the apex, it will form with the cone of the topet a shoulder 13. This shoulder prevents the string, which is wound on the top for spinning it, from slipping oh the apex of the outer topet l l. The conical portion of the topets is thin-walled so that several may be nested together and so that the amount of plastic material used in their molding will not be too great. The conical portion M of the outer topet H has a series of concentric parallel grooves l5 formed therein that further prevent slippage of the top string. Intercentrical of the apex of each topet, there is formed a cup that is integral with the topet. In the outer topet, this cup [6 is larger than the other cups as it receives the full impact of the top when it is cast from the operator's hand upon the floor or other playing surface. The cup of the outer topet receives the peg of the inner topet 2! when the topets are nested. The base of the cone of each topet is provided with a relatively heavy ring. These function on each topet in several ways. One of the functions on each topet is that of placing ineach topet most of the weight as far away as possible from the axis of spin. This gives the topets good stability and long spinning time. Another function of the ring is that of reinforcing the edge of the base of the cone so that it will not easily be broken. The ring I! of the outer topet II is formed with its inner surface [8 cylindrical. The upper face [9 of the ring I! is in the form of a flat annular surface.

Referring particularly to the inner topet 21, there is shown the apex provided with an inserted metallic peg 22. This peg need not have thereon a shoulder similar to the shoulder I3 of the peg l2 of the outer topet, as it is not wound with string and cast separately. Nor does the conical portion of the inner topet need to have grooves similar to the grooves l5 of the outer topet. The inner topet is provided intercentrical its apex with a cup 26 similar to the cup I6 of the outer topet for the purpose of receiving the peg of the cap topet 4|. The base of the cone 24 of the inner topet is provided with two rings, the lower ring 21 having a cylindrical outer surface 28 spaced slightly inward from the inner face l8 of the outer topets ring. This outer surface 28 of the inner topet ring is formed with a series of projections 29 that are spaced around the ring and center the ring of the inner topet with respect to the ring of the outer topet. These proj ections 29 also reduce the friction between the two topets, prevent binding therebetween, and allow the topets to easily separate when they are cast upon the floor so that each topet will spin separate'ly. The upper face 30 of the inner topets ring is in the form of a flat annulus. Outercentrical of this annulus face 30 and thereabove is the upper r ing 3| of the inner topet. This upper ring 31 is formed with an inner cylindrical face 32 that has thereon a series of spaced apart projections '33 similar to 'the projections 29 of the lower ring, and are for the purpose of centering and spacing the cap topet. This upper ring '31 has its upper surface 34 and a lower surface 35 each in the form of a fiat annulus. The lower annulus 35 seats upon the annulus IQ of the ring l1 of the outer topet.

The cap topet 4| fits inside of the inner topet 2| in a manner similar to the fitting of the inner topet the outer topet H. The cap topet has a metal peg 42 that is inserted in the apex of the thin-walled cone 44. When the topets are nested, the peg 42 of the cap topet seats in the cup 26 -of the inner topet. The base of the cone 44 of the cap topet is provided with two rings s'imilarto the base rings 21, 31 of the inner topet 21. The lower ring 4-! has a cylindrical outer surface 48 spaced slightly inward of the inner face 32 of upper ring 31 of the inner topet, and in contact with the spaced apart projections '33 thereon. The upper ring 5| of the cap topet is outercentrical of and above the lower ring 41. This upperring has a loweran-nular face 55 that rests on the upper surface 34 of the upper ring 31 of the inner topet. The base of the cap topet 4| is closed by a cap 5'6 that has a raised center forming thereby a marginal groove 5-1. One end of the string for spinning the top is secured in thisgroove -51 in'the usual manner-and the most of the remainder wound "on the cone 14 of the outer topet from the peg toward the base.

All of the outside surfaces of the rings H, 31, 5|, which are exposed whe'nthe topets'are nested, are faire'd so that the nested topets give the appearance of a single top shaped in the form'of the usual old-fashioned top. a

The tops, when nested, may be wrapped with a throwing string and cast in much the "same manner as a on'e piece top with the exception that the three top'ets will break away from each other when cast, and spin separately. The light cone and heavy rim 'rings cause the topets to have good spinning characteristics. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A peg top, comprising: a hollow conical body having formed integral therewith a conical "cup at the interior of its apex, a lower base ring integral with the base of said cone, which ring is formed "with a cylindricalsurface, an up- 4 per base ring integral with, above, outside of, and centric with said lower ring, said lower ring having its outer face cylindrical, said upper ring having its inner face cylindrical, and a plurality of projections on each of said faces that are uniform in size and evenly spaced about such faces.

2. A peg top, comprising: a hollow conical body having an enlarged point inserted in its apex, a conical cup at the interior of said apex, and a basering integral with thebase of said cone, which ring has a cylindrical surface, and a plurality of projections on said surface which are uniformly and evenly spaced about such surface.

3. A peg top, comprising: a hollow conical body having an enlarged point inserted in its apex, a conical cup at the interior of said apex, and a base ring integral with the base of said cone, which ring has a cylindrical outer surface, and a plurality of projections on said surface which are uniformly and evenly spaced about such surface.

4. A peg top, comprising: an outer topet in the form of a hollow cone having an enlarged point at its apex, a cup formed integral with and intercentrical of the apex of the cone of said outer topet, and a ring integral with the base of the cone of said outer topet, which ring has an outer formed face, a cylindrical inner face, and an upper annular seat; aninner topet in the form of a hollow cone, a cup formed integral with and intercentrical of the apex of the cone of said inner topet, said inner topet adapted and shaped to fit in and be spaced from said outer topet, the apex of the cone of said inner topet adapted to seat in the cup of said outer topet, said inner topet having a lower ring integral with the base of said cone, which lower'ring is formed with an outer cylindrical face opposed to and spaced from the cylindrical face of the ring of said outer topet, and projections spacing apart such faces, an upper ring integral with, above, outside of, and centric with said lower ring, which upper ring is formed with 'anwouter formed face, an inner cylindrical face, and upper and lower annular seats, the lower annular .seat of the upper ring of said inner topet seating upon the annular seat of the ring of the outer topet; a cap topet in the form of a hollow cone, said cap topet adapted to fit in and be spaced from said inner topet with the apex of the cone of said cap topet fitting in the cup of said inner topet, said cap topet having a lower ring integral with the base of its cone, which lower ring is formed with an outer cylindrical face .opposed to *and spaced from the inner cylindrical face of the upper ring :of "said ltopet, and projections spacing apart such faces, .an upper ring "integral with, above, "outside of, and, centric withsaid lower ring, which upper ring is formed with an outer formed face :andan annular seat adapted to contact the upper armular-seat of theupper ring of said inner topet, a .cap closing the base of said'c'ap topet, and said cap formed with an annular .groove for winding a string therein; and, when nested, said outer topet, the outer form-ed faces of said rings, and said cap being fairedto the form of a conventional top.

5. A peg 'top, comprising:v an outer topet, an inner topet, and a captopet, each of said tope'ts being in the 'form of 'a hollow cone and-so formed as to nest the inner topet in the outer and the cap topet in the inner topet, each of said topets being provided with a relatively heavy ring around the base of its cone, whichrings areso formed as to stack one on top'of the other when such topets are nested, a base closure for said cap topet, and, when nested, said outer topet, said rings, and closure being faired to the form of a conventional top; certain of said rings having thereon a plurality of annularly spaced projections that form bearing points between adjacent topets.

6. A peg top, comprising: an outer topet and an inner topet; said topets having hollow conical bodies, one adapted to fit inside of the other, one of said topets having a base ring integral with the base of its cone, and annularly spaced projections that form bearing points between said ring and the adjacent topet.

DONALD L. GALLAHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 

